Why Pirates Named Don Kelly Manager After Firing Derek Shelton

Don Kelly’s managerial debut went well and gave Pirates fans a taste of what to expect.

Pittsburgh fired Derek Shelton on Friday after a 12-26 start to the season and five years with the franchise. The Pirates elevated Kelly from bench coach to manager and believe he’s the right man for the job for this season.

“It’s permanent for 2025. We’re focused on 2025 and not getting past 2025,” general manager Ben Cherington said Thursday, per The Athletic’s Chris Stauss. “Because it became clear that it’s permanent for 2025, we chose not to use any other words to describe it. I have a lot of confidence in him doing that job for 2025.”

Kelly was born in Pittsburgh and is a former big leaguer. He made his MLB debut with his hometown club and was a utility player throughout his professional career. The 45-year-old finished his career with the Miami Marlins in 2016. A year later, he was named a scout and assistant on the player development staff for the Detroit Tigers. His coaching career began in 2019 when he became the Houston Astros’ first base coach. He joined Pittsburgh in 2020.

“This is someone who cares way more about the Pirates, the city, cares way more about the people in that clubhouse than he does himself,” Cherington said. “He’s just an elite human being and teammate. He comes to the ballpark every day focused on only one thing — how to help this team get better. It’s truly not about him, because it never has been.”

“It will have to be a little bit more now as a manager, and I think he understands that. I have so much faith in the combination of the human he is and the skills that he has and the reasons he does the job. He does it for only one reason — to help the Pirates, because he believes in the Pirates and wants to deliver for Pittsburgh.”

The Pirates helped Kelly earn his first career win as manager when they beat the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park on Friday. Those are the results Pittsburgh hopes Kelly can continue to provide.

“I think the losing is what people care about inside the clubhouse,” Cherington said. “That’s what’s weighing on people more than anything else. We want to win. We’re competitive and we want to win. It’s not happening as much as we need it to and want to.”

Pittsburgh continues its series against the Braves on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled at 4:05 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh.